Brothers by Blood (Alec Lightwood twin)

Chapter 21

*A while later*

BEN'S POV

I'd split off with Clary (so it was now Alec and Jace, and Clary and I), as Izzy had disappeared somewhere and I didn't want to leave her alone. We entered the training room and found Izzy coming towards us through the main doors.
"Izzy, there you are." I said. She ran towards me and I barely dodged her attack. She looked behind her and I saw that her eyes were pitch back.
"It's inside her." Clary stated. I got my sword out.
"It's still Izzy. Be careful where you aim." I replied seriously. She then charged at us. She flung Clary across the room and knocked her out. I got my arms around her and she began struggling in an attempt to break free.
"Izzy, please stop!" I yelled, trying to get her to stop squirming in my arms. She flipped me over her, pinning me to the ground. My ears started ringing slightly from hitting my head against the ground.
"Always the favorite child." She growled, running the back of her hand down my cheek softly as I struggled to move beneath her. "I'm done living in your shadow." She stated.
"Izzy, if you're in there, please listen to me!" I begged, trying to stall her. She smirked evilly.
"Nice try." She growled before she started slowly digging her fingers into my chest, maximizing the pain she was giving me. My eyes screwed shut and I threw my head back, screaming in the process. This was worse than being tortured as Izzy was literally trying to rip my heart out of my chest.
As I am lying flat on my back with her legs pinning down my arms, I can't defend myself. Clary, as she was thrown across the room earlier, was unconscious, so it was up to whoever was closest to save me. After a few moments I heard someone call out to me.
"Ben!" I vaguely heard Alec call through my screaming. A second later, Izzy was gone, and I couldn't feel anything. I could hear her struggling though. Jace was by my side in an instant, drawing an Iratze on me. He then helped me sit up and lean against him, my back on his legs, and my head on his upper arm (like Izzy and Alec after the demon at the end of 2x04).
"Ben? Ben are you ok?" He asked urgently.
"It hurts." I groaned. By this point, my screaming had stopped and been replaced with a throbbing in my chest.
"I know. We'll get you to the infirmary." He said calmly.
"Go back to Hell where you belong." I heard Clary growl before a loud noise, which was most likely her killing the demon.
"Izzy." Clary said. I heard the metal clang of a sword dropping. She must have stabbed Izzy. "Izzy, are you all right?" She asked, kneeling down beside her. Even though I was lying down, I looked across and could see Alec holding Izzy.
"Izzy!" Alec said. "Izzy Please. Please be okay, Izzy." I heard Alec say, worry lacing his tone. A few seconds later, I heard Izzy gasp.
"What happened?" She asked quietly, her voice breathless.
Jace then looked across at someone, most likely at Alec.
"We need to get them both to the infirmary. Clary and I will take Ben, you take Izzy." He said. Alec nodded. After applying an iratze to Izzy, he then picked her up gently and carried her out of the room.
"Ben? Can you walk?" He asked, his face covered in concern.
"Maybe." I replied weakly.
"Clary? Could you help me with Ben?" Jace asked.
"Sure." She replied, smiling and helping me help Ben to his feet. "This reminds me of when we escaped from Valentine. Am I right?" Clary asked with a smirk. I saw Jace roll his eyes.
"Uh, hello, person who needs to get to the infirmary because their heart was almost ripped out here." I said sassily, even though I was in pain. Jace rolled his eyes.
"Not even pain can stop you can it?" He asked as he and Clary helped me to my feet so they could help me to the infirmary. They would probably end up dragging me at some point, but for now I'd settle with them helping me walk.

*At the infirmary*

JACE'S POV

There are several things that have blown my mind over the past few hours. 1) A demon got inside the Institute. Demons should not be able to get inside the Institute. It is hallowed ground so it should ward off demons, plus we have wards against them. 2) It possessed Izzy. 3) She almost killed Ben because of it. If Alec and I hadn't been there, Ben would have had his heart ripped out by his sister! Clary stabbed Izzy in the back to get the demon out of her, after Izzy attacked Ben by trying to rip his heart out. Valentine's behind this, and when I get to him I will kill him. I don't care if he's my father. The Lightwoods are my family. Now, Clary, Alec, and I were sitting next to a passed out Ben and Izzy. Honestly, I didn't think this was fair on Ben. He just got his life back to normal and now this happens? Hadn't he endured enough over the last few months? It just wasn't fair. Izzy is going to be so upset when she sees what happened. I looked over at Clary and Alec and saw different expressions on each of their faces. Clary looked slightly guilty that she had stabbed Izzy, but she knew that the demon had to be expelled from her body, and she made sure that she stabbed her in a place that would kill her. Alec, on the other hand, looked downright worried for his siblings' wellbeing. The iratzes seemed to be helping with their injuries, but they would be sore when they woke up, especially Ben. A few minutes later, I heard someone enter the room. I looked towards the door to see that it was Jocelyn. As soon as she saw them, her face paled.
"Are they going to be alright?" She asked, very concerned about them, as they were still unconscious after several hours.
"They should be. We've drawn several iratzes on them, but they are taking a while to heal. We don't know exactly why though." Alec piped up before Clary or I could say anything.
"I heard you're going to Idris." I stated.
"Yeah. The orders came from the Council. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm Valentine's ex-wife. This is my cross to bear." She said sadly. She then came over to me, taking my hand softly. "I'm sorry for everything that has happened. I honestly thought that you were dead. I saw the house burn down and the remains of a child and an adult. I assumed it was you and I was absolutely devastated. When I learned you were alive, I couldn't believe it. I'm sorry we had so little time together Jace, and I am sorry for everything your father did to you. If I could take it all back, believe me, I would." She said kindly.
"Thank you Jocelyn." I said softly, taking her hand in mine. She then sat down next to me.
"What exactly happened? If you don't mind me asking." She asked.
"Izzy got possessed by the demon that was in the Institute, knocked Clary unconscious, and it attacked Ben, attempting to rip his heart out, hearing Ben's screams, Alec and I rushed in to help. Her hand was already entering Ben's chest when we got there. Clary then stabbed Izzy in the back in order to expel the demon, then she killed it." I explained. "According to the healers, both of them will be fine, they just need a while to heal and rest." I added.

*A few hours later*

NO ONE'S POV

Isabelle was the first of the two to wake up. The room was empty when she woke, her shoulder still hurting, despite the rune that Alec had activated on her earlier. As soon as she saw her brother lying unconscious beside her, she put her hand over her mouth, gasping at what she did. She knew that he was injured, but she wasn't sure what exactly happened. She'd have to ask Alec, Clary, or Jace when they got back.
"Ben, I'm so sorry." She said softly, letting a few tears shed. Why did it have to be Ben of all people? He'd been through so much over the past couple of months, and he doesn't deserve this.